Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-07-02
"FoR nv couNTaVs sAke.D
The Beauty and Dignity OF True Pa
tri0tlsm.

The Beauty and Dignity OF True Pa
triotlsm.
From q speech delivered at Peekstill ON tho
Fourth OF July, 1875, by Henry Ward
Beechsr, VIC extract the following paragraphs
on tho countTys elements Of growth and tho
beauties Of patriotism:
Look back, then, through tho hundred years
of our national history. They are to me like
tho ascending Of stairs, some Of which are
broader, some narrower, some with higher
rising and some with less than the others; but
on the whole there has been q steady ascent
in intelligence, In conscience, IA purity, IN In
dustry, In happiness, In the art Of living well
collectively, and We stand to-day higher than
at any other time. Our burdens are flea
bites
In another hundred years, not one OF us
will be here. But II does not matter 70 mach
to u who como and 90, or what takes place
In the future, except 90 far as our innusnce Is
concerned. When hundred years hencs the
untslling sun that Eaw Arnold and Andre
and Washington. but viii not tell us one
word Of history, shall shine On these on
chanted hills and on this unchanging river
then II Il for Us TO have cot Ia motion, or 70
have given renewed impulse to those great
causes, intellectual, moral, social and polit-
cal, which have rolled our prosperity 10 such
O height.
To every young man here that Il beginning
life, let me say: Listen not TO those inddiOus
teachers who tell you that patriotism "a q
sham, and that all public men are corrupt OF
eorrupters. Men in public or private life are
corrupt here and there, but let me say to you,
no corruption in government would be half 10
bad as to have the seeds Of unbelief In public
administration sown in the minds Of the
young. II you teach the young that their
chief magistrates, their cabinets, and their
representatives are OF course corrupt, what
will that DO but 10 teach them to be Themselves
corrupt stand here 10 bear witness and say
that publicity may consist With virtue and
does. There are men that serve the public for
the public, though they themselves thrive by
1t also. would SOW in your minds q romance
Of patriotism and love Of country that shall
be necessary TO the love which you have for
your own households, and I would say 10
every mother that teaches her child TO pray,
next 10 the petition, sour Father which art In
heaven" let him learn the petition, AOuF
Fatherland,n and 20 let our children grow Up
10 love God, TO love man, and TO lore thsir
country, and to be glad TO serve their country
as well as their God and their fellow men,
though 1t may be necessary that they should
lay down their lives 10 serve It
I honor the unknown ones who used to
walk here, and who fell in battlA 1honoF,
too, every ARMIES man, every lialping soldier
who through patriotism went 10 the battle
field and came back lame and crippled, and
bears manfully and heroically bis deprivation.
What though he llnd no occupatIoni What
though hs be forgotteni He has In him the
hnpefishabIe sweetness Of this thought: fIdid
It for my country's sake" For Gods sake
and for your countryis sake, live, and you
shall live forever